Thanks to more education about healthy eating and advancements in treatment, fewer people die of heart disease than in the past. That said, clogged heart arteries are still the number-one cause of death in many countries. Although heart attack symptoms can be a scary first sign of trouble (and keep in mind women have different symptoms than men), sometimes the body offers up more subtle clues that something is amiss with your ticker. The following is a list of symptoms that might be worth a chat with your doctor. But they may also be caused by a bunch of other things, so don't freak out. Only your real doctor – not Dr Google – can really tell you if these symptoms mean anything at all.

Your feet swell

Feet swelling can occur for a bunch of garden-variety reasons, such as pregnancy, varicose veins (which are unsightly but not dangerous), or when you travel and have limited ability to move around. It can also be a sign of heart failure, a chronic condition in which the heart pumps blood inefficiently. Swelling can also occur when the heart valve doesn't close normally. Some medications for blood pressure and diabetes could also cause swelling. Heart-related foot swelling is usually accompanied by other symptoms that include shortness of breath and/or fatigue. If you recently developed foot swelling, see your doctor to determine the cause and how best to treat it.

You have extreme pain when you walk

If your hip and leg muscles cramp when you climb, walk, or move, then feel better when you rest, don't shrug it off as due to old age or a lack of exercise (though those things certainly could be the culprits). It could be a sign of peripheral arterial disease, also known as PAD. PAD is a buildup of fatty plaque in leg arteries that is linked to a higher risk of heart disease. If you have PAD there's a 50 per cent chance you also have a blockage in one of the heart arteries. The good news? PAD (and heart disease for that matter) is a very treatable condition.

You get short of breath, even though you're fit

Despite your thrice-weekly cycling classes, you get winded walking up a flight of stairs or you're coughing a lot. What gives? It could be asthma, anemia, an infection, or rarely a problem with the heart's valves or its ability to pump blood. Fluid buildup affecting the left side of the heart can produce wheezing that simulates bronchial asthma. Once the valve is fixed, fluid no longer builds up in the lungs and the patient breathes easier. Since exercise can strengthen the heart, get this symptom checked out so it doesn't interfere with your ability to get a good workout.

You get migraines

Sometimes a headache is just a headache. But in some cases, regular migraines suggest that something is amiss with your ticker. Migraines occur in 12 per cent of the general population, but that stat rises to around 40 per cent in patients with cardiovascular disease. And while there isn't a clear-cut connection, the occurrence of migraines with auras has been related to some heart abnormalities, so it is possible that these attacks might have a connection to dysfunction of the heart. One theory is that they could both be the result of autonomic nervous system imbalances.

You can hear your heart beat when you fall asleep at night

Some patients with a loud faulty valve can even hear the sound of their valve at night when they are trying to fall asleep. And while some patients adjust to the sound and often just change their sleeping position so as not to hear it, doesn't mean you should ignore it. If you're being lulled to sleep by the thump-thump of your heart, tell your doctor so he or she can find out why. A pounding heartbeat can also be a sign of low blood pressure, low blood sugar, anemia, medication, dehydration, and other causes.

Anxiety, sweating, and nausea attack you all at once

You're suddenly anxious, sweating, and nauseous. These are classic symptoms of a panic attack, but they are also heart attack symptoms. If these early heart symptoms are followed up with shortness of breath (though you haven't moved a muscle), extreme fatigue, or accompanied by pain, fullness, or aching in the chest that may (or may not) radiate to the back, shoulders, arm, neck, or throat, then get to an emergency room immediately. Waiting more than five minutes to take action could change your chances of survival. In fact, those who arrive at the hospital within an hour of heart attack symptoms starting have better survival rate than those who wait.